Teacher, student dead after New Jersey school bus crash
NEW JERSEY (FOX5NY) - Two people were killed and dozens hurt when a school bus carrying middle school students from the Paramus School District and a dump truck hit on Route 80 in Mount Olive, New Jersey, Thursday around 9:30 a.m., police said.
UPDATE: Bus driver reportedly attempted illegal U-turn before crash
One teacher and one child died, and 43 others on the bus were hurt, according to Gov. Phil Murphy. The driver of the dump truck was hurt.
The bus landed on its side in the median with heavy damage to the front end. The top of the bus came completely off the undercarriage. Children were seen in the median area away from the bus. The back of the bus was also badly damaged.
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A red dump truck with severe front-end damage was at the scene, about 50 miles outside of New York City. The truck is registered to Mendez Trucking, of Belleville, and had "In God We Trust" emblazoned on the back of it, the AP reported. The company has a higher-than-average violation rate, records show. Its trucks were involved in seven other crashes in two years, though none fatal.
The school bus had markings for the Paramus School District. A fifth-grade class trip from the district was scheduled for Waterloo Village, a historic site about 5 miles away from the crash scene.
"This morning, East Brook Middle School students on their way to Waterloo Village were involved in a serious bus accident on Route 80 in Mount Olive, NJ," the school district posted on its Facebook page. "Morristown Medical Center, St. Joseph's Hospital, and Hackettstown Medical Center are treating the injured passengers. Family members are asked to visit East Brook Middle School to await more information from school officials. Students will be dismissed from school."
A sign outside of the East Brook Middle School in Paramus informed people to go to the auditorium for updates on the accident.
All westbound lanes are closed near Exit 25. The eastbound right and center lanes have reopened. Multiple ambulances responded to the scene.
About 10 victims were taken to St. Clare's Dover Hospital and St. Clare's Denville Hospital, according to Communications Director Patty Montgomery. She said they were being evaluated and treated, but she did not have ages or conditions.
Hackettstown Medical Center had 10 patients from the crash.
Morristown Medical Center spokeswoman Elaine Andrecovich said they have received some people from the accident, but she did not have a number available and could not say how many were children.
"There's an incredible emergency response from throughout Morris County and by State Police. It's a horrific scene," Mt. Olive Mayor Rob Greenbaum told The Record.
After gathering information about the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said it would not be investigating what happened.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.